I don't know if the difference is in my PW or in my eyes, but I actually use the lowest brightness setting when reading in a dark room (reading in bed with no lights on - curtains drawn) - And I find it too bright!

I don't. My particular preference if actually 12.5, but because that is not available, I'm constantly fiddling with it. 12-13-12-13....

Nah. Not really But I do have a way I'd like to set the Kindle. I like it set at such a level that the screen is bright, but not so bright that it looks as if it's lit up. I don't want it to become brighter than the ambient light if possibe. So, I use the light to "whiten up" the screen, not to make it brighter. In most of my rooms and when using my overhead bed lamp, this comes down to a setting of 12. (Or 13...)

If I must go brighter than ambient, I'll do that but the least amount as possible. I set it bright enough that I can still read without having the feeling of looking at an LCD-screen.

I try to avoid reading in complete darkness. My eyes are not good at that. I hate reading a tablet in complete darkness, using a computer in darkness, or watching TV in darkness; therefore I also don't like reading in darkness using the PW.